“Govt has completely failed” Congress’ Nana Patole over Badlapur incident

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], August 24 (ANI): Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole on Saturday slammed the state government over the Badlapur sexual assault case and said that such kinds of incidents are continuous in the state, adding that the government has been completely failed.

“The High Court has scolded the government. This assault on the girls was going on for 15 days. Our allegation was that the board of directors belonged to the RSS and BJP and hence the government was trying to protect them. These kinds of incidents are continuously happening in the state. This government has completely failed,” Patole said.

The Congress leader said that the entire government is answerable for the incident, so everyone in the government should resign.

“No one fears this government and the administration. This government doesn’t understand but there is anger among the people. They can do all the self-praise but it won’t last long. Not only Devendra Fadnavis but also the CM, Eknath Shinde, is answerable as such incidents are on the rise in his district and hence the entire government should resign,” he said.

Congress leader Varsha Gaikwad said that efforts are being made to suppress their voices but they will continue to fight.

“We don’t want ‘Laadli Behna’, we want ‘Surakshit Behna’. Many incidents are happening in Maharashtra. When we raise our voice against it, the government tries to suppress our voice in various ways, but will we continue our fight,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Nationalist Congress Party (SCP) chief Sharad Pawar, along with Maha Vikas Aghadi party leaders and workers donning black bands on their arms, staged a protest on Saturday in Pune against the Badlapur incident.

During the protest, Sharad Pawar said, “There is not a day in Maharashtra when there is no news of atrocities against women … The government should take this incident seriously. The government is saying that the opposition is doing politics, calling it politics shows how insensitive the government is.”

The special investigation team (SIT) for Badlapur sexual assault against minors has registered an FIR against the school authorities, for not complying with the provisions of section 19 of the POCSO Act which mandates that every authority when they come to know about any such kind of sexual assault against minors are obligated to report this to police authorities for further action, said SIT.

The alleged sexual assault of two fourth-grade girls at a school in Maharashtra’s Badlapur has sparked outrage. On August 17, police arrested an attendant of the school for allegedly abusing the girls.